Latch retracting device for doors



March 4, 1952 e. G. GRIFFITHS 2,588,108

LATCH RETRACTING DEVICE FOR DOORS Filed Dec. 9 1949 Patented. Mar. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES... "PATE T OFFICE LATCH RETRACQ'IING DEVICE FOR DOORS George G. GriflithaiNewBedford, Mesa;

This invention relates to alatch retracting device such as may be used upon a door, for example, an automobile door. Automobile door, so called, handles which retract the latch for opening the door are of such nature that when a person accidentally leans against the same in a cer-- tain direction the latch will be withdrawn and the door will open. This is always a possibility of great concern where children are present i an automobile, as children are sometimes thrown against the door or in fooling will strike the door handle in such a way that the door will open and the child will fall through the door while the vehicle is moving. Heretofore, great precautions have been taken with respect to door handles under such conditions, even to the extent of removing the door handles.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a latch retracting device for an automobile door handle which cannot be accidentally opened by accidental striking of the same.

Another object of this invention is to provide a very simple and efiective handle for accomplishing this purpose.

Another object of this invention is to provide an arrangement which may be placed upon most of the common forms of latch devices which are now in use upon automobiles.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device which unless operated in a preconceived manner will merely rotate freely without eflecting a latch release.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the latch retracting device of this invention;

Figure 2 is a section through the hub portion of the device with the handle in such release position that it may freely rotate without efiecting the latch release;

Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 2 but illustrating the parts as in such engagement that a latch release will be efiected;

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the journal member which engages the latch retracting spindle.

In proceeding with this invention I provide a journal member which will fit onto the latch releasing spindle and which will be locked to the spindle, providing in effect an extension thereof Application December 9, 1949, Serial No. 132,043

2 Claims. (01." 292 s47) and I form a handle member which will freely mtate around this journal member except when the hub of the handle member is drawnagainst a spring into .aninterlocking relation with the journal member so. that after this interlocking relation is established a turning of the handle member will turn the spindle and retract the latch.

With reference to the drawings, I0 designates a spindle which is a usual part of the automobile door of many automobiles and which when turned serves to retract the latch for opening the door. An escutcheon plate designated II is provided about the spindle and has an opening l2 centrally located thereof. This escutcheon plate may also be furnished as part of the automobile door mechanism or it may be conveniently furnished for assembly with this device in order that the journal member may be nicely accommodated. A journal member designated generally 14 and shown in perspective in Figure 5 has a shank l5 of cylindrical form which is provided with a square bore IS with splined sides to receive the square or round spindle I0, while a pin I 1 extends through this shank l5 so as to lock the shank I5 onto the spindle It]. At the outer end of this shank l5 there is provided a head l8 having a collar l9 of smaller diameter from which there projects a key 20 out beyond the larger diameter of the head. A shoulder 2| is provided between this collar and the shank l5 for a spring abutment to be hereinafter referred to.

The handle member is designated generally 22 and comprises a hub 23 having a bore 24 therethrough for bearing engagement with the shank l5 of the journal member, while a larger bore 25 is provided at the outer end of the hub which forms a shoulder 26 between the bores. A spring 21 is housed in this larger bore 25 and abuts the shoulders 26 of the hub and 2| of the journal member so as to urge the hub inwardly, that its end 28 may engage the escutcheon plate. The bore 25 is provided with a radially extending notch 29 which when the hub is moved outwardly receives the key 20 so as to provide an interlocking engagement between the hub of the handle member and the journal member so that when the arm 30 which extends from the hub is moved, the hub is rotated, and by the interlocking arrangement the journal member is also rotated so as to rotate the spindle l0 and cause a retraction of the latch. However, when the parts are released from force urging the hub member outwardly, the spring 2! will urge the hub member inwardly from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 2 so that the interlocking key and notch are released and the handle member through its arm 38 ma be rotated freely about the journal member without any effect upon the latch, thus preventing accidental movement of the latch by any movement of the handle.

I claim:

1. A latch retracting device for an automobile door or the like comprising a journal member having a head at one end with a key projectin therefrom and means at the other end for attachment to a latch retracting spindle of the door, means to lock the member to the spindle to prevent relative rotation, a handle member comprising a hub with an arm extending radially therefrom, said hub having a bore through which the journal member extends for rotatable mounting thereon, a second larger bore in said hub of a size to receive a portion of said head and providing a shoulder between said bores, said large bore having a notch in the wall thereof to receive said key, a spring acting between said hub and head to force the hub inwardly to disconnect the key from the notch but permitting interconnection of said key and notch when the hub is moved outwardly against the action of said spring for transmitting rotary movement from said handle member to said journal member.

2. A latch retracting device as in claim 1 wherein the means to lock the member to the spindle includes a journal member which is recessed axially thereof to receive the latch retracting spindle.

GEORGE G. GRIFFITHS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,330,075 Horkave Feb. 10, 1920 2,046,342 Muck et a1 July '7, 1936 2,144,611 Biggs Jan. 24, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 171,565 Great Britain Nov. 24, 1921 

